


Last Summer

by Nishinoya4Yuu



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Established Relationship, Forgiveness, Grieving, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Minor Tanaka Saeko/Tsukishima Akiteru, Nishinoya's grandfather has passed away before this story, Summer, Tsukishima Kei was an asshole in the past to Tanaka and Noya, appologies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 15:15:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16725840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nishinoya4Yuu/pseuds/Nishinoya4Yuu
Summary: Tanaka Ryuunosuke and Nishinoya Yuu had always managed to find the time to make it back to their hometown in Miyagi to spend a few weeks during the summer. It was a tradition for them by now to make the long trek up every August and see their families and old friends who had stayed in the area.Yet, life goes on. Sometimes traditions have to change.





	Last Summer

August 2018

“Yuu, hey, wake up,” Tanaka gently shook the man sitting next to him on the shinkansen. “We're almost there.” Tanaka started packing his things in his backpack as the train quickly made its way to the platform.

Nishinoya's eyes were open now and he stretched his arms high over his head until his back popped. Without a word he shoved his ipad into his messenger bag and stood up just as the train was slowing down.

Tanaka let Noya go in front of him to the door and then followed closely behind. The sudden stop caught Noya off guard and he stumbled back a bit into Tanaka. “Yuu...hey, you alright, man?” Noya had been really off today and it pained Tanaka that he didn't really know how to help.

“Huh? Yeah, of course I'm fine,” Noya answered as he hurried off the train and out of the way.

As the passengers cleared away Tanaka hastily grabbed their suitcase out of the space behind the end chairs and then joined Noya on the platform. A wave of heat washed over him, it felt a little cooler than in Tokyo, but not by much.

Noya wordlessly took off down the platform and through Sendai station leaving Tanaka to follow. Tanaka knew this was going to be hard on Noya, but he really wished he'd talk to him. It sucked feeling so powerless.

Tanaka finally caught up with Noya outside at the bus stop. The bus was just pulling away, leaving Noya standing alone. Tanaka wondered for a second why Noya didn't just go on his own, that did seem to be the kind of mood he was in today, but he stopped himself from letting that thought wander too far. This wasn't about them, and Ryuu knew that.

“Sorry. Was that the one?” Tanaka leaned back on the railing and pulled their suitcase between his legs so it was out of the way.

Noya just nodded.

“How long do we have to wait now?” Ryuu asked, silently begging Noya to say something.

“40 minutes.”

Tanaka's heart sank a little more. “Oh.”

They waited silently, Tanaka leaning against the railing, and Noya sitting perched up on it. Tanaka didn't know what to say, and it sucked. He knew Yuu had a lot on his mind, but he'd do anything to help him with his burden, if Yuu would just let him.

The minutes passed slowly until Tanaka finally reached out and gently put his hand on Noya's shoulder, just to remind him that he was there with him. Noya physically recoiled and Tanaka froze. Yuu had never, not once in their years as friends and then as lovers, ever moved away from his touch before.

Their eyes locked and Ryuu's hand limply fell back to his side. “I...” Ryuu's voice broke, “I...I'm sorry, Yuu....” Ryuu suddenly felt all 33 degrees of the sweltering heat outside.

Noya didn't blink, but as he looked at Ryuu his eyes got wide, like he'd suddenly realized for the first time what he'd just done. And that was it. The straw that broke the camel's back. Noya's eyes welled up and his face scrunched up in misery.

Ryuu took a deep breath and sighed and then pulled Noya into his arms. Ryuu didn't say anything as Noya buried his face in Ryuu's chest and soaked his t-shirt. He just held him close and hoped and prayed that he could help Noya get through this. Noya was usually the strong one, but Ryuu knew this time, it was on him to keep shit together. 

“I’m not ready to go back, Ryuu. I don’t want to. It’s...it’ll be so quiet there and. Ryuu, he’s gone. I can’t believe that old bastard…” Noya sobbed like he hadn’t really gotten to do when his grandpa had passed away 6 months ago. 

Ryuu gently ran his fingers through Noya’s hair and massaged his scalp. “I know, Yuu. I know.” Tanaka’s mind raced. If he could just do it himself and spare Noya all of this he would. Noya just had to say the word and Ryuu would take care of it. “Yuu...if you want, I can just go sort through it all. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.” 

Noya shook his head where it rested on Ryuu’s chest. “No, there’s too much to go through and I haven’t even decided yet if I’m keeping the place or what we should do with it.” He finally pulled his head up and looked at Ryuu. “I don’t know what to do, Ryuu. Should we keep it? Do you want to move back up here? Should we rent it out? I...don’t know what to do. It’s been in my family for like 200 years, Ryuu. I...I’m the last one. What do I do?” Noya finally let all of his worries tumble out. 

Ryuu’s heart broke to hear all the things Noya had been stressing over, but he was so glad Yuu was finally talking about it. It was Noya’s blood, but he was still Ryuu’s family too. They were in this together and while Noya’s name was the one on the paperwork, any choices made would include Ryuu too. 

They were both pulled from their moment as the bus pulled up and they gathered their things. Ryuu handled the suitcase again and Noya tapped both of their Suica cards on the reader. The bus was empty save for one old woman sitting right in the doorway. Ryuu followed Noya to the back bench seat and lugged the suitcase the whole way. They got comfy for the long ride ahead of them. 

It wasn’t long before Noya was leaning on Ryuu’s shoulder and sleeping again. He was so emotionally exhausted and he had worked overnight at the conbini last night too. Ryuu would happily let him sleep the whole hour to their stop if he needed it. 

His mind started slowly digesting the information Noya had spouted out earlier. Some of it Ryuu knew, and just hadn’t really let it sink in. Noya was the last of his bloodline. Not even any extended family remained. Noya was now well and truly alone in the world, well, apart from the Tanaka’s who had always loved him as their own. Ryuu hadn’t really considered the implications of that and that Noya may feel the need to carry on. 

Ryuu hadn’t really considered moving back to Miyagi. If it’s what Noya really wanted he’d do it. It’s not like they had a lot to lose in Tokyo, really. But they had built a friend circle for themselves there and they managed to get by. In some ways owning a property free and clear might be a good thing for their pitiful financial situation. But then again renting it would bring in income which could also make their lives in Tokyo more stable. 

There really was a lot to digest. Plus, 200 years? He had no idea that Noya’s family had been in that area so long, living on the same land. That was some serious familial prestige and honor that he wasn’t really sure they should just throw away easily. Tanaka’s family were nobodies with no real history anybody could remember. 

Tanaka laid his own head down on top of Noya’s, which was resting on his shoulder and started to drift off too. The ride still had a solid 8 more stops and the bus bounding through tight corners and small roads, up and down hills and mountains reminded Tanaka of home. It was the sort of thing that was so ingrained in the first 18 years of his life that even now, at 22, after living in Tokyo for 4 years, he still felt comforted by this rude and remote lullaby of home. 

A huge bump in the road shifted both Tanaka and Noya awake like an old, reliable alarm clock. Tanaka muttered, “next stop, Yuu,” as he stirred and sleepily started gathering together his things. 

Noya mumbled in recognition and sat up, blinking his eyes several times. He yawned out, “We’ll be in trouble if they ever fix the road. Have to actually set an alarm if we wanna sleep on the bus.” 

The prerecorded track on the bus played and a woman’s voice announced, “Torono. Torono.” Tanaka lugged their bag to the front of the bus and Noya, right behind him, quickly tapped both their pass cards and smiled at the driver as they hopped off the bus. 

They were met with a bus stop that was just a simple bench with an old awning over it, and a sign announcing it was a stop. A few small roads headed off of the corner, but Tanaka headed down one that couldn’t really properly be called a road. The small path winding through rice fields was only really large enough for a bike or scooter to go down, not a car. 

The sun was near set now, just visible still over a mountain in the distance. It was a stark difference to their home in Ikebukuro, which was always teeming with people of one sort or another. They were truly in the country now, and their whole walk they only passed a handful of farming homes, all nestled far off the path, with vast amounts of rice growing between the home and the pathway. The train and car horns were replaced with bullfrogs and cicada. 

A solid 15 minutes into their trek Tanaka took a turn off to the left and the path became stone instead of the pavement they had been navigating previously. Tanaka had to lift up and carry the heavy suitcase now, or else break the wheels on the cobblestones. Noya was eerily silent as he followed behind him. 

Finally the sprawling traditional home came into view in front of them. Quiet, it was too quiet. Tanaka felt a shiver run down his spine at the deadness of the home in front of him. It had always been busy in his memory. Even though it was just Noya and his Grandfather, it had always been loud and felt warm and full of life. Now it loomed before them, cold, silent and daunting. A relic of some old family history, more suited to be a museum than as a home. 

Tanaka waited for Noya to make the move. Noya stepped up next to Tanaka and just stared through the dim light at the house in front of him. It had never really seemed so large before, but now, quiet and dim and in his own care, it felt massive and weighty and overwhelming. 

Noya quietly called out, “tadaima….” and his greeting was swallowed up in the darkness. 

Tanaka reached over without looking and pulled Noya into a side embrace. “We’re here,” he whispered. He dropped the handle of the suitcase, letting the top heavy bag fall over, and pulled Noya firmly into both arms and held him. It was going to be a long summer.

**Author's Note:**

> Notes:  
> It’s about 2 and a half hours to Sendai Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen, leaving from Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo. The trip would cost quite a bit for Tanaka and Nishinoya, at about 11,200 yen per person, one way. (Roughly $100 USD in 2018.) 
> 
> Suica is one of the many prepaid cards (IC Cards) used on public transport in Japan. They are also good at many convenience stores and vending machines as well. Suica and Pasmo are the cards mainly used in the Tokyo area, and outside of that area you’ll find a lot of other varieties, but they are mostly universally accepted so Tanaka and Noya can use their Suica cards from Tokyo on their trips elsewhere. 
> 
> 33 C is 91.4 F, I’m a silly American, but I always try to use the time and measurements and systems the character in the story would. 
> 
> “Tadaima” = “I’m home.” 
> 
> \------
> 
> This was meant to be written in the summer, but it kinda got away from me. This one won’t be terribly long, I’m thinking about 3 or 4 chapters is all. I just wanted to write a small thing with a focus on the summer and the long, lazy days and nights. The summer sounds and the heat. Something nostalgic and weighty at the same time. I must admit, it will likely be awhile before I get another chapter up, since I will be on vacation in Japan coming up, but I’ll update in the new year for sure.


End file.
